Department for Transport

Railways

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many of Network Rail's Control Period 5 projects have had a cost determination under the Office of Rail Regulation's Enhancement Cost Adjustment Mechanism (ECAM); how many such projects remain to be assessed; how many of Network Rail's ECAM submissions have missed their deadline; and how many ECAM submissions have been referred back to Network Rail by the Office of Rail Regulation for further development.

Claire Perry: The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) is responsible for the ECAM process and is best placed to answer any questions on this. ORR publishes various information on its website about ECAM, including a list of completed submissions (last updated December 2014). You can find all of this information at the link below: http://orr.gov.uk/what-and-how-we-regulate/regulation-of-network-rail/how-we-regulate-network-rail/control-period-5-cp5/cp5-delivery-plan

Tugboats: Scotland

Mr Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the response times for tug boats assisting shipping incidents on the west of Scotland have been in the last year.

Mr John Hayes: Over the past year there have been seven incidents across the Western Region of Scotland, from Cape Wrath to the North Channel, which have resulted in a tow being required to recover, or potentially recover casualty vessels. The RNLI Lifeboats, sister vessels such as fishing boats, commercial towage and the government-funded Emergency Towing Vessel on one occasion have provided towing. Response times have varied from 32 minutes, when the Tobermory Lifeboat aided the fishing vessel DIAMOND D, to 4 days 5 hours when the tug PACIFIC CHAMPION was deployed to assist the Bulk Carrier ELEANOR D, some 85 nautical miles west of St Kilda. During the latter incident, there were no safety of life issues, and all parties were in agreement with the response timescale.

Great Western Railway Line

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what records are available to Network Rail regarding the location of buried trackside signalling cables on the Great Western Main Line.

Claire Perry: Network Rail is an arm’s-length public sector body and the Department does not hold the detailed information requested as it is an operational matter for the company. Further information can be obtained from Network Rail’s Chief Executive at the following address: Mark CarneChief ExecutiveNetwork Rail1 Eversholt StreetLondonNW1 2DN.

Railways: Repairs and Maintenance

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much has been spent to date on (a) Reading Station Area Resignalling and Remodelling, (b) East West Phase 1, (c) the Northern Hub, (d) Transpennine electrification, (e) Great Western Main Line electrification and (f) Midland Main Line electrification.

Claire Perry: Expenditure to date on these projects has been committed over a number of years and by a number of organisations, including DfT, Network Rail, the ORR, local authorities, and the Train Operating Companies. In some cases, the expenditure is against multiple projects and is not easily broken down into the specific projects mentioned. We are therefore unable to answer the question in the format requested.

Railways: North West

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the performance of Network Rail's principal contractor on the North West electrification project; and what estimate he has made of the number of working hours spent redoing completed work on the lines included in that project.

Claire Perry: It is for Network Rail to manage its contractor. Network Rail is responsible for the delivery of the outputs, and will be held accountable for the late delivery by the Office of Rail Regulation.   Further information can be obtained from Network Rail’s Chief Executive at the following address:   Mark Carne Chief Executive Network Rail 1 Eversholt Street London NW1 2DN.

Network Rail

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many planned possessions have been cancelled by Network Rail since 1 January 2015; and on how many such occasions were train and freight operators consulted in advance.

Claire Perry: Network Rail is an arm’s-length public sector body and the number, timing and cancellation of its disruptive engineering works are operational matters for the company. Decisions on the planning, timing and duration of engineering works are agreed jointly in advance between Network Rail and the relevant passenger and freight train operators under the rail industry’s national possessions planning regime which is overseen by the independent Office of Rail Regulation.

Home Office

Procurement

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total value of contracts her Department has with private sector providers was in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Karen Bradley: Details of contracts above the value of £10,000 awarded to private sector providers are published on the Contracts Finder website, www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk .The total value of contracts the Home Office has with private sector providers in each of the years for which records are available is as follows:Financial Year Aggregated Spend against contracts with private sector providers2009/10 Data Not Available2010/11 £2.45 billion2011/12 £2.40 billion2012/13 £2.13 billion2013/14 £1.99 billionThe aggregated spend data provided shows a reduction in private sector contract spend of £460 million since 2010-11.

Passports

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations the Government has received on the practices of UK Services and Support Ltd in relation to charges for passport applications; and what steps have been taken in response to those representations.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Police Stations

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police stations have (a) been in operation and (b) closed in each police force area in each of the last five years.

Mike Penning: This information is not held centrally. Decisions about the most effective use of available resources, including the numbers and operating hours of police stations, are a matter for the Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable locally, tailored to the needs of the local community.

Riot Control Weapons

Dr Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the (a) total cost of training police officers in the use of water cannons and (b) cost of such training to each police force.

Mike Penning: In 2013, the Home Office paid £2.87 million for the cost of police training in relation to G8 Summit, and this included training of English and Welsh police officers to be deployed alongside water cannon. All other decisions and assessments relating to the training of police officers in the use of water cannon would be an operational decision for Chief Constables.

Police: Biometrics

Dr Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that biometric data is deleted with minimal delay when arrests are made unlawfully or incorrectly.

Mike Penning: All chief officers of police must comply with the legal requirement under section 63D(2)(b) of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (as inserted by section 1 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012) on destroying the fingerprints and DNA belonging to individuals who have been unlawfully arrested. In January 2014, the Home Office issued guidance to chief officers on early deletion which addresses this issue.I expect chief officers to comply with the law with minimal delay.

Police: Helicopters

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average police helicopter response times have been for each police force in each of the last five years.

Mike Penning: The Home Office does not collect the figures for average air support response times. Police air services are managed by the police under the National Police Air Service.

National Extremism Tactical Coordination Unit

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons the National Extremism Tactical Co-ordination Unit had a meeting with the Consulting Association in 2008; and if she will publish any minutes or documents relating to that meeting.

Mike Penning: The Home Office does not hold this information.

Police: Surveillance

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any police force currently has operational staff working within trade unions.

Mike Penning: The Home Office does not hold this information.

Police: Surveillance

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish all of the information her Department holds on Special Demonstration Squad activity within trade unions between 1996 and 1998.

Mike Penning: On 10 March 2014, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Home Secretary commissioned Stephen Taylor, a former Director of Audit at the Audit Commission, to carry out a forensic review to establish the full extent of the Home Office’s knowledge of the Special Demonstration Squad for the 40 year period from 1968 to 2008. This review will be published shortly.

Asylum: Liverpool

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what consultation her Department carried out with Liverpool City Council in advance of the recent decision by her Department to make Liverpool the place failed asylum seekers must go to lodge their final appeals.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Offenders: Foreign Nationals

Mr Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the preventative and early intervention measures trialled in the foreign national offenders action plan.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Offenders: Foreign Nationals

Mr Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what comparative assessment her Department has made of the costs of managing foreign national offenders in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Offenders: Foreign Nationals

Mr Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to develop and standardise its approach to Foreign National Offenders casework since May 2010.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Public Expenditure

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to page 107 of his Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2013-14, HC17, what the value is of each antique and work of art worth more than £1,000.

Mr David Lidington: The net book value of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Antiques and Works of Art in the UK and overseas as at 31 March 2014 was £16.672m. Individual valuations per item cannot be provided as this information is both commercially sensitive and would represent a security threat to the staff and properties.

Public Expenditure

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to page 107 of his Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2013-14, HC17, what the value is of each building (excluding dwellings) worth more than £250,000.

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to page 107 of his Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2013-14, HC17, what the value is of each dwelling worth more than £250,000.

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to page 107 of his Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2013-14, HC17, what the value is of each piece of non-residential land worth more than £250,000.

Mr David Lidington: The net book value of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s property (land and buildings) in the UK and overseas as at 31 March 2014 was £2,030m. This excludes property held by our Non-Departmental Public Bodies. Individual valuations per property cannot be provided as this information is commercially sensitive.

Public Expenditure

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to page 104 of his Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2013-14, HC17, what the amount spent was on each instance of travel expenditure totalling more than £1,000.

Mr David Lidington: Before undertaking any travel staff must consider whether the journey is necessary and cost effective. We encourage staff to find alternatives to travel, such as video-conferencing facilities in a further effort to reduce the number of flights needed. Due to the nature of our diplomatic work, however, travel is essential.The sum referred to on page 104 of the 13/14 Annual Accounts is £48.5m for Travel incurred under the delivery of our overseas programmes. These figures cannot be broken down further without incurring disproportionate costs.Further detail of our Programmes can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-office/about#our-funding-programmesFurther details of senior officials and ministers travel can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/minister-datahttps://www.gov.uk/government/collections/pus-data.

Public Expenditure

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to page 105 of his Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2013-14, HC17, what the reasons are for the £1.397m expenditure listed under other subscriptions.

Mr David Lidington: Individual subscriptions are disclosed in the Annual Report and Accounts if they amount to over £1m. The £1.397 million expenditure listed under other subscriptions on page 105 includes payments to the Commonwealth Foundation (~£726.5k), the Institute for Security Studies (~£533k), the International Bureau of Expositions (~£20.5k) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (~£117.7k).

Bangladesh

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Bangladeshi counterpart on threats to the leader of the Bangladesh National Party and other opposition leaders in Bangladesh.

Mr Hugo Swire: We are deeply concerned by the ongoing violence, political unrest and wider confrontational activity in Bangladesh, which are entrenching a lack of trust between the main political parties. I raised my concern over reports that Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Leader Khaleda Zia had been confined to her office when I met the Bangladesh Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs on 20 January 2015. Our High Commissioner to Bangladesh, along with other EU Ambassadors, met Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Mr Mahmood Ali on 14 January to express their collective concern at the ongoing violence and the shrinking of democratic space. The same day, our High Commissioner condemned a dreadful bus attack and the shooting of former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and senior BNP member, Mr Reaz Rahman. He called on the Bangladesh government to investigate these crimes and urged all sides to show restraint and respect for the rule of law - a message he repeated on 5 February in a further statement after a tragic bus fire in Comilla. Our High Commissioner met the BNP leader at her office on 11 February. He condemned the current violence as disruptive, distressing and deplorable in his statement following that meeting, and urged all parties to consider confidence building measures that would diffuse the current tensions.

Public Expenditure

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to page 104 of his Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2013-14, HC17, what the amount spent was on each instance of contractor, consultancy and fee-based services expenditure totalling more than £1,000.

Mr David Lidington: This information is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Public Expenditure

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to page 104 of his Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2013-14, HC17, what the reasons are for the £3.2m expenditure listed under consular.

Mr David Lidington: The £3.32m expenditure listed under consular on page 104 of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Annual Report and Accounts 2013-14 include payments ranging from Emergency Travel Documents and other passport stationery to consular crisis and human rights work.

Pakistan

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance his Department is providing for security in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK is fully committed to working in partnership with foreign governments, including Pakistan, to deliver a sustainable approach against terrorism and violent extremism throughout the world. Through the Counter Terrorism Prosecutorial Reform Initiative (CAPRI) the UK has trained 42 prosecutors in Pakistan who are now working in Anti-Terrorism Courts. The focus of this work is in Punjab, but we have also trained prosecutors from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as well as Baluchistan. The training aims to improve the Pakistani justice system’s ability to prosecute terrorist suspects in line with international human rights standards.

Malaysia

Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the government of Malaysia on the conviction on 9 February 2015 of Anwar Ibrahim; when he next plans to visit that country; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Hugo Swire: I visited Malaysia from 25-26 February and met the Malaysian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, YB Dato’ Hamzah Zainudin, as well as a number of other Malaysian Ministers. I repeated the points made in my statement of 10 February, the day the judgement of Anwar Ibrahim was announced, in which I made clear my concern at the Malaysian Federal Court’s decision to uphold his conviction for sodomy. I also met Anwar Ibrahim’s daughter Nurul Izzah Anwar, Vice President of opposition party PKR, during my visit. I have previously raised my concerns about the case with the Malaysian High Commissioner, on 4 December. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend, the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), also raised this issue when he met Malaysia’s Foreign Minister on 9 December. Officials from our High Commission in Malaysia have discussed the matter with Malaysian ministers and officials on several occasions, and officials from the High Commission observed the trial alongside other local diplomatic missions.

Procurement

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the total value of contracts his Department has with private sector providers was in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Mr David Lidington: Between January 2010 and January 2015 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has let the following contracts over £10,000 with private sector providers in each calendar year.2010 £ 263.0m2011 £ 84.6m2012 £ 103.2m2013 £ 263.7m2014 £ 102.5m2015 £ 3.7mSince authority to enter into contracts is devolved to directorates in the UK and our network of posts, we cannot provide data for contracts under £10,000 without incurring disproportionate cost.

British Council

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to page 77 of the British Council's Annual Report and Accounts 2013-14, what the value is of each tangible fixed asset worth more than £250,000.

Mr Hugo Swire: The net book value of the British Council’s tangible fixed assets as at 31 March 2014 was £165,850,000. Individual valuations per asset cannot be provided as this information is commercially sensitive.

Ukraine

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2014 to Question 209807, what further progress he has made in bringing to justice those responsible for the destruction of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 on 17 July 2014.

Mr David Lidington: We continue to work with the Dutch Public Prosecutors Office on their investigation into the downing of MH17, supporting UN Security Council Resolution 2166's call for a full, thorough and independent international investigation into this tragic incident. The Metropolitan Police are providing advice and support to the Joint Investigation Team (JIT); (a collection of police and judicial officials from Ukraine, Netherlands, Australia, Belgium and Malaysia) which is under the coordination of the Dutch Public Prosecutors Office. The UK is not a member of the JIT but is an interested party and is represented at the bi-monthly JIT meetings by the Metropolitan Police.  On the separate investigation into the cause of the crash by the Dutch Safety Board; two Inspectors of Air Accidents from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch of the Department of Transport visited the Netherlands last week and viewed the wreckage of MH 17 held in storage at Gilze. This was undertaken in their capacity as the UK Accredited Representative/Adviser to the Dutch Safety Board.We expect the Dutch Safety Board to release their final report prior to the anniversary of the crash, which will provide evidence as to how MH17 broke up in mid air. It will not attribute culpability, which is for the JIT process described above.

Hong Kong

Sir Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he plans to publish his Department's next six monthly report on Hong Kong.

Mr Hugo Swire: The six monthly report on Hong Kong covering the period July-December 2014 was published on 26 February.

Cabinet Office

Jobseeker's Allowance: Young People

Stephen Timms: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of unemployed young people did not claim jobseeker's allowance in each month since January 2010.

Mr Rob Wilson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply. 



ONS Letter to Member - Jobseekers Allowance
(PDF Document, 40.18 KB)

Government Departments: Advertising

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the advertising budget was for each Government department in the financial years (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13, (c) 2013-14 and (d) 2014-15.

Mr Francis Maude: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for North Durham on 2 February 2015 and 4 February 2015 to UIN: 222564 and 222567.

Social Enterprises

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2014 to Question 211134, how much funding has gone to each of the social enterprise incubators named; and how the social enterprise incubators based in London but with national focus realised their national mission.

Mr Rob Wilson: Cabinet Office has supported 10 incubators through its £10m Social Incubator Fund. The incubators cover all areas of England, with six of the incubators located outside of London.  Incubator  Funding amountSocial Incubator NorthWayra UnLtdBig Issue Invest CSVHealth Social InnovatorsBethnal Green Ventures£1,065,000£1,219,006£1,000,000£600,000£900,000Social Incubator East£902,268SEEDbed£876,950Dotforge£1,115,500Young Academy£1,560,905Solve 1,489,500London based incubators attract social entrepreneurs from across the country through holding promotional events in a variety of locations, and use social media extensively to attract applications from outside London. Each incubator aims to support social ventures that have the capacity to operate at scale. The markets into which they are aiming to provide services or sell their product are national by definition.

Wines

Tim Loughton: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of people directly employed in the wine industry and that industry's supply chain in the UK.

Mr Rob Wilson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply. 



ONS Letter to Member - Employment in Wine Industry
(PDF Document, 43.72 KB)

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Apprentices

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of payments by the Skills Funding Agency under the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers scheme were made within 30 days in each of the last twelve months.

Nick Boles: The Skills Funding Agency outlined in their previous response (29 January 2015) that from the day the apprentice reaches 13 weeks of their apprenticeship (the census day for eligibility to AGE), payment can take between 5 weeks and 9 weeks to reach the training provider, dependent on where the 13 week point falls in relation to the next monthly data return to the Skills Funding Agency. Once the Skills Funding Agency receives data from the provider to confirm eligibility for AGE, payment to the provider is made within 30 days and the Skills Funding Agency has always met this timeline. Providers are contractually bound to pay the employer their AGE payment within 30 days of receipt of the funds from the Skills Funding Agency.

Trade Missions

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many overseas trade missions which were attended or led by a government minister have been completed in the last twelve months; on what dates each such visit took place; and to which countries those ministers travelled on each occasion.

Matthew Hancock: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Economic and Social Research Council

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of Economic and Social Research Council research funding is spent on (a) social enterprise and (b) economics.

Greg Clark: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Apprentices

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2015 to Question 222107, how many apprentices of each age group were employees of his Department, its agencies or of other government departments before their apprenticeship began.

Jo Swinson: I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to question UIN 225059.

Staff

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many full time equivalent officials of what civil service grade work on each of his Department's sector strategies.

Jo Swinson: The table below details the number of full time equivalent officials in the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) that are progressing sector strategies in teams responsible for supporting sectors. BIS does not as a matter of routine count officials in the way asked, because officials will typically fulfil more than one role. The information has therefore required judgements to be made on the amount of time officials spend on progressing strategies to support sectors. The counts do not include officials in other teams who are sources of additional expertise, for example analytical or legal advice, or officials in other departments contributing to the delivery of the sector strategies.   SectorG5 FTEG6 FTEG7 FTESEO FTEHEO FTEEO FTEAO FTETotalAerospace0.41.02.01.04.4Agritech1.0 3.70.8   5.5Automotive0.41.83.3 0.5   6.0Chemicals0.30.51.00.50.5 0.23.0Construction0.25 437.25Creative Industries  0.50.5Defence0.20.50.6 1.3Digital0.250.50.50.25 0.25  1.75Electronic Systems0.10.50.7 1.3International Education 0.52 2   4.5Life Sciences 12.81.80.5  6.1Marine0.10.30.50.51.4Nuclear0.10.751.01.02.85Offshore Wind0.210.61.01.0   3.8Oil and Gas0.30.52.0 0.5 0.2 3.5Professional & Business Services0.10.51.0 1.0   2.6Rail0.20.50.750.51.95Retail0.10.20.20.10.6

Business

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many businesses have engaged with each Catapult Centre in each year since it opened.

Greg Clark: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Overseas Students

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to attract non-EU students to universities in England and Wales.

Greg Clark: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Foreign Nationals

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much his Department has spent on advertising higher education aimed at non-EU nationals in each of the last five years.

Greg Clark: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Higher Education: Foreign Workers

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to attract non-EU academic staff to seek employment at universities in England and Wales.

Greg Clark: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Higher Education: Admissions

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many and what proportion of people who enter higher education at the age of 18 do so with BTEC qualifications as the entry criteria.

Greg Clark: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

New Businesses: Esher

Mr Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many new businesses were created in Esher and Walton constituency in each year since 2005.

Matthew Hancock: The estimated number of business start-ups in Esher and Walton constituency between 2008 and 2014 are shown in the table below. Data is not available for earlier years.   YearBusiness start-ups in Esher and Walton200892020091,10020101,19020111,28020121,14020131,1102014990   Source: BankSearch: number of new business bank accounts opened. All figures rounded to the nearest 10.

Department for International Development

Training

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much her Department spent on training in each of the last three financial years.

Mr Desmond Swayne: Spend on Training and Development is managed through individual DFID Departments and Country Offices, and therefore providing this information can only be achieved at disproportionate cost.

Training

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what her Department's training budget was in each of the last three financial years.

Mr Desmond Swayne: The majority of Training and Development Budgets are allocated by individual DFID Departments and Country Offices, and therefore providing this information can only be achieved at disproportionate cost.

Training

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the average number of days training of full-time equivalent staff employed in her Department was in each of the last three financial years.

Mr Desmond Swayne: Responsibility for training in DFID is decentralised to departments and country offices. We do not maintain a central record of the training undertaken by individuals. To gather the information retrospectively would incur disproportionate costs.

Training

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what guidance her Department provides to its managers on how many days training should be made available to staff.

Mr Desmond Swayne: Cabinet Office advises departments that staff should aim to have at least 5 days per year training and development.

Procurement

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the total value of contracts her Department has with private sector providers was in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Mr Desmond Swayne: We do not hold information in the form requested.

Malawi

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to work with the government of Malawi to enhance financial controls and transparency in that country, with a view to restoring bilateral support by the UK.

Mr Desmond Swayne: General budget support to Malawi was suspended in 2011 due to concerns relating to human rights and public financial management. Tightly managed sector budget support for health and education was continued by all donors but following the Cash-gate scandal in November 2013 this too was suspended. There can be no consideration of putting UK funding through Malawi government systems until the integrity of the Government’s financial management systems has been restored and independently verified. However, the UK is still committed to poverty reduction and supporting poor people in Malawi, through a large programme of ongoing investments delivered, in health, education, agriculture, water and sanitation, economic development and governance.   In the wake of the Cash-gate corruption scandal in 2013, we have funded a forensic audit as well as technical assistance to the investigation agencies to help bring the culprits to court and continue to support public financial management reforms.

Malawi

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much funding has been allocated to NGOs and other non-state actors since bilateral support to Malawi was suspended in November 2013; and what the expected outcomes of that funding are.

Mr Desmond Swayne: General budget support to Malawi was suspended in 2011 due to concerns relating to human rights and public financial management. Tightly managed sector budget support for health and education was continued by all donors but following the Cashgate scandal in November 2013 this too was suspended. There can be no consideration of putting UK funding through Malawi government systems until the integrity of the Government’s financial management systems has been restored and independently verified. However, the UK is still committed to poverty reduction and supporting poor people in Malawi, through a large programme of ongoing investments delivered outside of government systems, in health, education, agriculture, water and sanitation, economic development and governance.   Since November 2013 to date the DFID bilateral programme in Malawi has disbursed £ 70.4 million to NGOs, Multilaterals and other non-state channels outside of government systems. Expected outcomes include:   - An important contribution to meeting contraception needs in a country with a high total fertility rate and increasing population pressure. By 2016, the UK’s Malawi Family Planning Programme is expected to support 800,000 additional women to access and use modern methods of family planning.   - Improved access to Water and Sanitation. 750,000 people will have access to clean drinking water sources by 2016.   - Supporting 15,000 girls to benefit from secondary school bursaries by 2016.   - Supporting improved health outcomes. DFID support is currently supplying the bulk of emergency drugs and medical supplies to Malawi’s hospitals.   - Helping to strengthen civil society in Malawi to hold their government accountable for the provision of basic services.   - Supporting 370,000 people to access relief food supplies; provision of emergency water, sanitation and hygiene facilities for 34,000 people; and assisting 54,000 people with seeds and tools to rebuild their lives after recent floods washed their crops away.   Full details of these outcomes and others are available in DFID’s Operational Plan 2011-2016 accessible online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/389289/Malawi.pdf .

Malawi

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what representations her Department has made to the Malawian government on the introduction of user fees for health and education services in that country.

Mr Desmond Swayne: DFID engages with both the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, Science and Technology on how to best ensure all poor Malawians can access good quality education and health care.

Pakistan

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department is providing for security in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan.

Mr Desmond Swayne: DFID’s Peacebuilding Support Programme supports the provincial Government to deliver improved security and justice to 250,000 citizens in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). It focuses on strengthening civilian security (police, prosecutions, prisons) and the formal and informal justice sectors. DFID also contributes to a Multi Donor Trust Fund supporting areas of KP affected by militancy and conflict. It helps improve state-citizen trust and reduce the root causes of insecurity through improved infrastructure, economic development and service delivery.   UK aid to Pakistan also addresses the conditions that might breed violent extremism by reducing poverty, meeting basic needs, increasing economic opportunities and promoting inclusion. It supports the government to build an effective state that is more able to respond to violent extremism through strengthening democratic processes and institutions, delivering better services and improving access to justice.

Department for Education

Free Schools: North West

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many free schools there currently are in (a) Preston, (b) Lancashire and (c) the North West; and how much funding her Department has allocated to the funding of free schools in each such area.

Mr Edward Timpson: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 12 February 2015.The correct answer should have been:

In answer to the above question;   There are currently no free schools in Preston. There are currently three free schools in the local authority area of Lancashire with the total revenue funding allocation of £2,789,724 for the academic year 2014 to 2015. There are currently tenseven free schools in the county of Lancashire, which includes the local authorities of Lancashire, Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen, with the total revenue funding allocation of £14,802,909.77£12,013,185 for the academic year 2014 to 2015. The North West has 4041 free schools with a total revenue funding allocation of £54,002,376 for the academic year 2014 to 2015.

Mr Edward Timpson: In answer to the above question;   There are currently no free schools in Preston. There are currently three free schools in the local authority area of Lancashire with the total revenue funding allocation of £2,789,724 for the academic year 2014 to 2015. There are currently tenseven free schools in the county of Lancashire, which includes the local authorities of Lancashire, Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen, with the total revenue funding allocation of £14,802,909.77£12,013,185 for the academic year 2014 to 2015. The North West has 4041 free schools with a total revenue funding allocation of £54,002,376 for the academic year 2014 to 2015.

Procurement

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the total value of contracts her Department has with private sector providers was in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Mr Nick Gibb: A full answer could only be provided at disproportionate cost. This is because, to date, the Department has operated a devolved approach to contract management. In addition, the Department’s finance systems do not split contract spend between private sector, public sector, and third sector providers. The Department is implementing a new contracts system in 2015, which will provide improved coverage and detail on spending in 2015-16 and onwards.

Free Schools: North West

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 16 February 2015 to Question 223512, how many students attend the (a) three free schools in Lancashire local authority area, (b) seven free schools in the county of Lancashire and (c) 41 free schools in the North West.

Mr Edward Timpson: In answer to the above question, the autumn 2014 census confirms that;   There are 359 pupils attending the three free schools in Lancashire local authority area. There are 2,102 pupils attending the ten free schools in the county of Lancashire, which includes the local authorities of Lancashire, Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen. There are 7,436 pupils attending the forty free schools in the North West.

Apprentices

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many apprentices employed by (a) her Department and (b) its executive agencies and associated bodies are aged (i) 16 to 18, (ii) 19 to 24 and (iii) 25 years or older; and how many of those apprentices employed in each form of body and of each age group were previously employed by the Government.

Mr Nick Gibb: The Department for Education currently employs 46 Apprentices. The information requested is supplied in the table. DfE apprentices by age - at end January 2015 Number of staff (number previously worked in Civil Service1)  AllDfEAgenciesTotal46(1)27(1)19(0)Age Band16-187(0)2(0)5(0)19-2438(1)24(1)14(0)25+1(0)1(0)0(0)Source: DfE HR  1. Where civil service start date is before DfE start date

Schools: Uniforms

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure schools do not require uniforms to be bought from specialist providers.

Mr David Laws: The Department for Education’s school uniform guidance is clear that any items of uniform should be widely available and affordable for parents. The guidance sets out that exclusive single supplier contracts should be avoided except where regular tendering competitions are run. It also makes clear that governing bodies should be able to demonstrate that they have obtained the best value for money from suppliers and that any savings negotiated with suppliers should be passed on to parents wherever possible.   The school uniform guidance is published online at:www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform   Ministers will keep this issue under close review.

Schools: Uniforms

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to reduce the costs of school uniforms.

Mr David Laws: In 2013 the Department for Education issued guidance for all schools on the need to consider the cost and availability of the uniform.   The guidance emphasises the importance of ensuring that uniform is widely available and affordable for parents. It sets out that governing bodies should be able to demonstrate that they have obtained the best value for money from suppliers and that any savings negotiated with suppliers should be passed on to parents wherever possible. It also makes clear that compulsory branded items should be kept to a minimum and that schools should avoid frequent changes to the uniform.   Local authorities and academies have discretion within their budgets to provide school clothing grants or offer other help with the cost of school clothing in cases of financial hardship.The school uniform guidance is published online at:www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform

Teachers: Training

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what amount her Department spent on marketing (a) the Troops to Teachers scheme and (b) each other Initial Teacher Training scheme between June 2013 and 31 December 2014.

Mr David Laws: For Troops to Teachers, the Department for Education allocated £52,046 for marketing and communications to the Ministry of Defence’s resettlement contractor between June 2013 and 31 December 2014.   Between June 2013 and December 2014 the Department for Education spent £5,585,000 on other initial teacher training marketing.

Teachers: Veterans

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of (a) the expected number of applicants for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 cohorts of the Troops to Teachers scheme, (b) the number expected to join that scheme and (c) the number expected to complete the training.

Mr David Laws: Based on previous cohorts the Department for Education expects to receive approximately 500 eligible applications. Candidates must then go through a rigorous selection and assessment process, including a school-based interview and must also meet the appropriate initial teacher training eligibility criteria before they are accepted onto the programme. The Department anticipates that up to 100 trainees will begin their training in September 2015 and up to 100 trainees in September 2016.   There are currently have 84 trainees completing their training.

Teachers: Veterans

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of the two-year extension of the Troops to Teachers scheme.

Mr David Laws: The provisional budget for the expansion of the Troops to Teachers programme is £8.65 million for a further two cohorts. The majority of the funding, approximately £5.32 million, will be used for trainees’ salaries in line with other employment-based initial teacher training routes. The rest will cover the costs of the university course provision, recruitment, marketing and running costs.   The programme budget will be reviewed regularly to reflect the actual number of trainees recruited and to identify any potential savings.

Armed Forces: Education

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what feedback her Department has received from schools on the effectiveness of the British Armed Forces: Learning Resource 2014.

Mr Nick Gibb: The Department for Education has not received any feedback on the effectiveness or otherwise of the British Armed Forces: Learning Resource 2014. We often highlight free resources for teachers but believe that schools are best placed to decide what materials they wish to use.

Educational Visits

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations she has received on the BUSK campaign for safe coach transport in relation to coach tour companies being contracted for long-distance school trips.

Mr David Laws: I am aware of the BUSK campaign for safe coach transport. The safety of children and young people is of the utmost importance. All school employers must adhere to the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. They must conduct a risk assessment and put measures in place to minimise any known risk. Where schools use a coach tour company to provide transport for their trip, we expect them to apply sensible and proportionate health and safety measures to assess the company’s suitability.

Educational Visits

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department issues to schools on the sleeping conditions for coach drivers on long-distance school trips.

Mr David Laws: The Department for Education issues advice to schools on health and safety, making them aware of their statutory duty to conduct a risk assessment and put measures in place to minimise any known risks. This advice does not provide specific guidance on sleeping conditions for coach drivers, since this would be for an employer to consider as part of the risk assessment. The Department is currently reviewing this advice to include reference to British Standard 8848:2014 which provides guidance on the risks of driver fatigue.

Educational Visits

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when guidance on safe transport for long-distance school trips was last reviewed.

Mr David Laws: The Department for Education’s advice to schools on health and safety was last reviewed before publication in February 2014. This advice sets out the statutory duty that school employers must conduct a risk assessment and put measures in place to minimise any known risk. The Department is currently reviewing this advice to include reference to British Standard 8848:2014 which provides guidance on the risks of driver fatigue.

Educational Visits

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department has issued to schools on ensuring that safe conditions apply to coach drivers contracted to provide transport for long-distance school trips.

Mr David Laws: The Department for Education issues advice to schools on health and safety, making them aware of their statutory duty to conduct a risk assessment and put measures in place to minimise any known risks. This advice does not provide specific guidance on sleeping conditions for coach drivers, since this would be for an employer to consider as part of the risk assessment. The Department is currently reviewing this advice to include reference to British Standard 8848:2014 which provides guidance on the risks of driver fatigue.

Armed Forces: Education

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the number of schools that opened the Autumn 2014 termly email from her Department which included a link to the British Armed Forces: Learning Resource 2014.

Mr Nick Gibb: As of 25 February 2015, 7,904 termly emails to schools had been opened.

Vocational Education

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many 16 to 18 year olds are studying for BTEC qualifications at each level in (a) schools, (b) sixth form colleges and (c) and further education colleges.

Nick Boles: The number of 16 to 18 year olds entered for one or more BTEC qualifications in the 2012/13 academic year, the latest year of data available, is shown in the table below, by level and institution type. The analysis is based on data collected by the Department from examination awarding organisations.  Entry LevelLevel 1Level 2Level 3Schools (state-funded, including special schools)4002,80015,30051,200Sixth Form Colleges2001,1006,80028,200FE Colleges5,50028,70055,600141,600   Note that where a learner was entered for BTECs at more than one level, the highest level has been shown in the table.

Schools: Buildings

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many blocks recorded as part of the Property Data Survey Programme were in (a) good, (b) satisfactory, (c) poor and (d) bad condition.

Mr David Laws: The Property Data Survey does not provide an overall assessment of a block in the manner requested. The surveyors who visited schools made an assessment of the condition of individual construction types within each block, such as different types of roofs or walls for which we hold individual records, but did not attempt to rate blocks on a ‘good’ to ‘bad’ scale.

Schools: Buildings

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the summary report of the Property Data Survey Programme, published in January 2015, how many schools were rated as being (a) good, (b) satisfactory, (c) poor and (d) bad condition.

Mr David Laws: The Property Data Survey does not provide an overall assessment of schools in the manner requested. The surveyors who visited schools made an assessment of the condition of individual construction types within each block, such as different types of roofs or walls for which we hold individual records, but did not attempt to rate an entire school on a ‘good’ to ‘bad’ scale.

Ministry of Justice

Training

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance his Department provides to its managers on how many days training should be made available to staff.

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average number of days training of full-time equivalent staff employed in his Department was in each of the last three financial years.

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his Department's training budget was in each of the last three financial years.

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much his Department spent on training in each of the last three financial years.

Mr Shailesh Vara: The Ministry of Justice has made an offer to invest in the equivalent of five targeted learning days a year for each member of staff. This learning takes many forms to suit both the learner and the business, including e-learning, coaching, mentoring, work-based learning, job shadowing and face-to-face learning. The Ministry devolves budgets for training to its agencies, business groups and non-departmental bodies. These budgets are managed locally and the Ministry does not record this information centrally. Furthermore, the definition of training varies from one business area to another. Therefore to establish the Department’s training budget, amount spent on training and an average number of training days taken would require a Ministry-wide survey of all its local business areas and non-departmental public bodies. This would incur a disproportionate cost.

Criminal Proceedings

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what procedures are in place to inform victims of the reasons for any delays in criminal matters being listed for court.

Mike Penning: Witness Care Units (WCUs) update Victims on information relating to their case. Under the Code of Practice for Victims courts have responsibility for providing information to WCUs about matters affecting the victim and WCUs then provide a single point of contact for victims throughout the duration of the case. The Government has committed to creating a system that puts the highest emphasis on victims’ needs and set out their rights clearly in legislation.

Victim Support Schemes

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what government funds are available for victims' support organisations in England and Wales.

Mike Penning: This Government is committed to supporting victims, by ensuring that they have access to high-quality, effective and timely support. We have made more money than ever before available for this purpose, increasing the contribution offenders make to the costs of providing support, and more than doubling the victims budget to over £92million for 2015/16. Locally accountable Police and Crime Commissioners are now responsible for the provision of support services in their areas and will receive the bulk of the available funding with which to do so. This was £63.15m in 2015/16. Some services remain nationally commissioned. This includes support for families bereaved by homicide, support for victims of rape and modern slavery, and support for witnesses at court. National services have recently been competitively re-commissioned.

Criminal Proceedings

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to reduce the delays in criminal proceedings in courts in England and Wales.

Mike Penning: The Transforming Summary Justice programme is a collaboration between the police, the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts designed to ensure that magistrates’ court cases are prepared and prosecuted in a timely and efficient manner. It is in the process of being rolled out and will be operating throughout England and Wales by May 2015. The recent report of the Review of Efficiency in Criminal Proceedings, which was carried out by Sir Brian Leveson, President of the Queen’s Bench Division, makes detailed recommendations for improving efficiency, some of which build on these initiatives. The Government is now considering these recommendations.

Trials

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, in how many cases in which a suspect had been charged for offences committed in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014 a trial had not commenced after (i) six and (ii) 12 months had elapsed.

Mike Penning: Her Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) records the date of offence and date of trial in magistrates’ courts and the Crown Court. However, a number of cases do not go to trial, either because the defendant pleads guilty or the prosecution drop the case. A number of offences committed during 2014 will not yet have reached six or twelve months since receipt by HMCTS. To answer this question would require the creation of complex reports to combine the variables within the question, which would then need to be tested, this would incur disproportionate costs. Also, offences committed in 2014 would be incomplete as many will not yet have reached six or 12 months since they were received by HMCTS. The Ministry of Justice does, however, publish official statistics on the timeliness of criminal cases in Criminal Courts Statistics Quarterly at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-court-statistics.

Data Protection

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps the Government is taking to help people protect their personal data.

Simon Hughes: The Government is committed to providing the public with the strongest possible rights to protect against abuses of personal data. We keep the Data Protection Act under review to make sure that it continues to provide a strong legal framework for the protection of personal information. The Government also works closely with the Information Commissioner to make sure that individuals understand their rights and responsibilities under the Data Protection Act.

Contempt of Court

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer on 12 February 2015 to Question 223311, what calculations were made to determine that to answer the original question would incur disproportionate costs.

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the letter sent on 2 February 2015 to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Yardley by HM Courts and Tribunals Service's Performance, Analysis and Reporting Team, what the (a) name of the judge, (b) date and (c) period of committal was of each court order issued by (i) Birmingham County Court, (ii) Birmingham High Court and (iii) Birmingham Family Court for contempt of court since November 2014.

Mr Shailesh Vara: In order to answer 223311 Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) would have to manually check every court log from 1 May 2013 to the present at Birmingham County Court, Birmingham Family Court and the High Court at Birmingham. Birmingham County Court and Birmingham Family Court between them heard in excess of 24,000 cases, each of which would have to be manually checked for any hearings for contempt of court.HMCTS have been able to check records of cases heard since November 2014, and identified those where committal orders were made for imprisonment for contempt of court. The contemnors weren’t all present at court and did not necessarily begin their term of imprisonment straight away. There were none at Birmingham Family Court. Details of committal orders made for imprisonment for contempt of court at Birmingham County Court and High Court since 1 November 2014 can be found in the table below. This data has been collated specifically to answer this question and has not been checked to the standard of Official Statistics. CourtJudgeDatePeriodBirmingham High CourtHHJ Purle QC13-2-156 weeksBirmingham County CourtDJ Rich TD7-11-148 weeksBirmingham County CourtHHJ McKenna19-11-1416 weeksBirmingham County CourtHHJ McKenna15-1-1518 weeksBirmingham County CourtHHJ McKenna15-1-1525 weeksBirmingham County CourtDJ Ingram30-1-1524 weeksBirmingham County CourtDJ Shorthose13-2-1526 weeks

Non-molestation Orders

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the contribution by the hon. Member for North West Cambridgeshire of 18 March 2014, Official Report, column 625 and pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2015 to Question 217723, how many (a) ex-parte non-molestation orders were given to (i) women and (ii) men, (b) with notice non-molestation orders were given to (i) women and (ii) men, (c) non-molestation orders were applied for by each firm of solicitors, (d) non-molestation orders were given to (i) women and (ii) men by each judge, (e) ex-parte occupancy orders were given to (i) women and (ii) men, (f) with notice occupancy orders were given to (i) women and (ii) men, (g) occupancy orders were applied for by each firm of solicitors, (h) occupancy orders were given to (i) women and (ii) men by each judge in each quarter from the first quarter of 2011 to the third quarter of 2014 in courts in (A) Sussex and (B) the West Midlands.

Simon Hughes: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 27 February 2015.The correct answer should have been:

Details of the gender of those receiving non molestation orders (ex-parte and with notice), and occupancy orders (ex-parte and with notice) since 2011 can only be obtained by manually checking every case file at disproportionate costs. Figures requested for non molestation and occupancy orders applied for by each firm of solicitors in courts in a) Sussex and b) West Midlands are available and provided as extracted from the central MoJ database on family cases, in the accompanying tables. Domestic violence and abuse is unacceptable and no one should have to experience it. It is right that the family court has the power to take swift action to protect families and children from domestic abuse. We are confident that the court procedures for making non-molestation orders are sufficiently robust and in each case the court will make a decision whether to make an order based on the circumstances of the case including the need to secure the health, safety and well-being of the applicant and of any relevant child.



Domestic Violence Applications Solicitors firms
(Excel SpreadSheet, 137 KB)

Simon Hughes: Details of the gender of those receiving non molestation orders (ex-parte and with notice), and occupancy orders (ex-parte and with notice) since 2011 can only be obtained by manually checking every case file at disproportionate costs. Figures requested for non molestation and occupancy orders applied for by each firm of solicitors in courts in a) Sussex and b) West Midlands are available and provided as extracted from the central MoJ database on family cases, in the accompanying tables. Domestic violence and abuse is unacceptable and no one should have to experience it. It is right that the family court has the power to take swift action to protect families and children from domestic abuse. We are confident that the court procedures for making non-molestation orders are sufficiently robust and in each case the court will make a decision whether to make an order based on the circumstances of the case including the need to secure the health, safety and well-being of the applicant and of any relevant child.



Domestic Violence Applications Solicitors firms
(Excel SpreadSheet, 137 KB)

Prison Service

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prison officers have been dismissed (a) in total and (b) through lack of capacity following an employment tribunal hearing in the last three years for which data is available.

Andrew Selous: The total number of officers, bands 3-5, dismissed from the public sector prison service in England and Wales, can be found in the table below, broken down into the categories of dismissal used within the National Offender Management Service. Lack of capacity is not one of these categories.   Table: Headcount of Band 3 to 5 Officers Dismissed from the Public Sector Prison Service in England & Wales, 2011/12 to 2013/14Reason2011/122012/122013/14Breach of Contract~~~Conduct808070Medical Inefficiency170160170Poor Performance~~~Unsatisfactory Attendance1010~Grand Total260260250 Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 in line with the department’s policy for presenting staffing data.~ denotes suppressed values of 5 or fewer. Low numbers are suppressed in conjunction with the rounding policy to prevent disclosure in accordance with Data Protection Act, 1998.

Procurement

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the total value of contracts his Department has with private sector providers was in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Mr Shailesh Vara: Noted below are the values for contracts with private sector providers awarded in each of the financial years, the values show the average annual spend for the financial year.  2010 - 11  2011 - 12  2012 - 13  2013 -14  2014 – 15  £256,880,714 £568,924,146£438,322,765£276,327,267£1,086,494,704  The private sector has an important role to play in helping deliver much needed reforms. We remain committed to promoting a diverse market including public, private and voluntary sectors, as well as ensuring rigorous contract management and high standards of behavior. We have undertaken a major review of contract management to ensure that we have in place robust and accountable systems. We will continue to improve our commercial capability and share this crucial learning across Government. When buying products and services we always seek best value for taxpayers' money and find savings were possible.

Ministry of Defence

Radioactive Materials

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many nuclear safety events there were at HMNB Clyde and RNAD Coulport, by category, in each of the last six years.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many nuclear safety events there were at HMNB Clyde and RNAD Coulport involving (a) Class A and (b) Class B incidents involving (i) nuclear propulsion and (ii) nuclear weapons; and what the details were of each such incident.

Mr Philip Dunne: Holding answer received on 03 November 2014



The information requested, accompanied by the category definitions, is provided below. Events are categorised in accordance with Her Majesty's Naval Base Clyde's internal criteria, which record all events, however seemingly minor. This comprehensive, independent recording process allows Clyde to maintain a robust reporting culture, undertake learning from experience and to take early corrective action. This reporting process has been agreed by, and is subject to routine inspections by, the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator. None of the events in the reports caused any harm to the health of any member of staff on the Naval Base, or to any member of the public, and the severity of the reported events has remained at a very low level. For example, incorrect labelling of an empty pallet and not filling out the correct form before painting inside a submarine are two of the recorded events. Investigations into all such events are carried out and, where necessary, measures are, put in place to prevent a recurrence. Nuclear safety events involving Nuclear Propulsion:  FY2008-09FY200910FY2010-11FY2011-12FY2012-13FY2013-14TOTALCategory A0000000Category B90201012Category C323121263145186Category D322735272554200TOTAL735858535799398  Nuclear safety events involving Nuclear Weapons:  FY2008-09FY2009-10FY2010-11FY2011-12FY2012-13FY2013-14TOTALCategory A0000000Category B0000000Category C1100103Category D11214710650TOTAL21314711653 There were no Category A or Category B events involving Nuclear Weapons, nor any Category A events involving Nuclear Propulsion. The details of the twelve Category B incidents involving Nuclear Propulsion are as follows: DateDescription11 May 2008Low level contamination detected on the discharge pipework within the Radioactive Effluent Disposal Facility. 9 June 2008Temporary shielding to a valve in the Reactor Compartment had been removed without correct authorisation. 27 June 2008Inadvertent draining of onboard chemically treated water tanks into the contained submarine bilge, with no loss of water into the environment. 9 July 2008A crane at the berth was operated in a non-standard configuration without an approved concession. 2 October 2008Radiography Testing using a Faulty Source Mechanism. 27 October 2008A diving operation was undertaken while the reactor was operational. 8 December 2008Inadvertent shutting of steam valves out-with normal operating procedures. 11 February 2009Explosives Handling Jetty (EHJ) 125 tonne crane - lifts total breached. While within the capacity of the crane, the number of lifts exceeded the agreed annual total. 20 March 2009EHJ 125 tonne crane - lifts total breached. Following the previous incident, a concession was granted, however, this was subsequently exceeded for operational support purposes. 12 June 2010Loss of a freeze seal during routine valve maintenance leading to a contained submarine compartment water spill, with no loss of water into the environment. 14 June 2010Used protective suits in a double-layered plastic bag were accidentally dropped into the waters in the Base and recovered immediately. A member of staff became wet when recovering them: as a precaution, he was monitored to ensure no contamination, and was given the all clear. 17 August 2012Inadvertent radiation dose received by contractors while conducting submarine tank defect rectification work.HM NAVAL BASE CLYDE - NUCLEAR SAFETY EVENT REPORTINGCATEGORY DEFINITIONS   Cat Nuclear Event Consequence Description AActual or high potential for radioactive release to the environment or over exposure to radiation.· Major failure of Site or Nuclear Propulsion/Nuclear Weapon (NP/NW) services. · Major reduction of defence in depth. · Major failure in administrative controls or regulatory compliance.BActual or high potential for a contained release within building or submarine or unplanned exposure to radiation. CModerate potential for future release or exposure, or localised release within a designated radiological controlled area.· Minor failure of Site or NP/NW services (eg with protection via defence in depth). · Minor regulatory or procedural compliance breach. DLow potential for release – but may contribute towards an adverse trend producing latent conditions.· Poor safety culture, eg: - Failure to report shortfalls.- Communication failures.- Leadership issues.

Iraq

Mr Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2015 to Question 222434, what consideration his Department has given to deployment of the UK Reapers in storage for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance in Iraq.

Mr Mark Francois: As with all platforms and capabilities not deployed on operations, the deployment of additional Reaper aircraft currently in storage in the UK is kept under constant review.

Gurkhas

Sir Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the first recruitment of Gurkha soldiers into the British Army.

Anna Soubry: Holding answer received on 26 February 2015



Gurkhas hold a special place in the hearts of the British people and we will be celebrating our close and enduring relationship over the bicentenary. The Brigade of Gurkhas will be holding many events this year, including a parade and memorial service in Whitehall in April. Gurkha units will also be conducting public duties as the Queen's Guard at Buckingham Palace and St James's Palace, and at the Tower of London during May.

Training

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what guidance his Department provides to its managers on how many days training should be made available to staff.

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average number of days training of full-time equivalent staff employed in his Department was in each of the last three financial years.

Anna Soubry: Holding answer received on 27 February 2015



The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to helping all employees realise their full potential. This is why all civilian staff are strongly encouraged to take up the offer of completing five days training each year. I am pleased to report that the Department is investing an additional £10 million to develop the skills of our civilian personnel. The MOD does not hold information centrally on the average number of days training of full-time equivalent staff. Some data is available from Civil Service Learning for the period July 2012 - June 2013. This showed that the average number of days training of full-time equivalent staff via Civil Service Learning was 1.3 days per head. However, this is not a true indication of the total number of days training staff have undertaken, as staff may receive training through a variety of other measures. The Defence Academy undertakes training and development which is specific to Defence, including command and staff courses, languages, acquisition and technology training for military and civilian personnel. It also has a considerable range of leadership, management, project management and commercial training which is specific to Defence. The Defence Learning Portal hosts e-learning including a wide range of military and technical training, and mandatory training for civilian and military personnel. This is complemented by a range of learning and development opportunities available to predominately civilian staff, through Civil Service Learning. There is also a range of other activities such as coaching, mentoring, shadowing and 360 degree feedback which count towards five training days a year, but may not be recorded officially.

Training

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's training budget was in each of the last three financial years.

Anna Soubry: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Training

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department spent on training in each of the last three financial years.

Anna Soubry: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Wind Power: Peterborough

Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons his Department does not plan to give evidence at the planning inquiry in respect of wind turbines and precision approach radar at French Farm, French Drove, Thorney near Peterborough in March 2015.

Anna Soubry: Holding answer received on 27 February 2015



The Ministry of Defence (MOD) previously objected to the French Farm Extension proposal because the development would cause unacceptable interference to the Precision Approach Radar at RAF Wittering.The applicant submitted a technical proposal to mitigate the unacceptable affects of the proposed development on the ATC radars at RAF Coningsby, RAF Waddington and RAF Wittering. The proposal was accepted by the MOD in 2014.The MOD informed the Planning Inspectorate of its position on 30 January 2015 and the Planning Inspectorate has confirmed that the MOD will not be requested to attend the Public Inquiry.

Bomb Disposal: Northern Ireland

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions were explosive ordnance disposal personnel deployed in Northern Ireland to deal with devices or suspect devices between 20 February 2014 and 19 February 2015.

Mr Mark Francois: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 March 2014 (Official Report, column 496W). The information requested is published annually in the Report of the Independent Reviewer of the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007. A copy of the report covering up to July 2014 is available in the Library of the House.Between August 2014 and 19 February 2015, Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel have responded on a further 163 occasions to incidents in Northern Ireland. 



Hansard Extract 17 March 2014
(Word Document, 41.5 KB)

Department for Work and Pensions

Social Security Benefits: Multiple Sclerosis

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that the disability benefits regime takes into account the symptoms of multiple sclerosis which are sometimes hidden.

Mr Mark Harper: Eligibility for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is not based on the type of health condition or impairment an individual may have but the impact it has on their everyday life or their capability for work. Individuals making a claim for these benefits are assessed by Healthcare Professionals who must complete comprehensive training in disability assessment, including fluctuating conditions; they have their work regularly audited and are required to keep their continuing professional education up to date.

Jobcentre Plus

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much funding has been provided to the Rapid Response Service in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and what the staffing level of that service was in each of those areas in those years.

Esther McVey: The overall funding for Rapid Response by DWP in the UK was: · 2010-11 £7.100m · 2011-12 £3.000m · 2012-13 £4.037m · 2013-14 £4.000m   This spend is captured at a National level and is unable to be split into Scotland and Wales data without a disproportionate cost to disaggregate. Northern Ireland is not within the jurisdiction of the Department for Work and Pensions.   Rapid response activities are part one of an advisor’s job so it is not possible to identify specific staff time utilised on Rapid Response.   Budget data can only be provided for the 4 years from 2010/ 11 to 2013/14 as historic changes in the accounting systems mean that 2009/10 information is not available.

Universal Credit: Greater Manchester

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons the Universal Credit IT system in Leigh, Greater Manchester, was out of action for three consecutive days in the first week of February 2015; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Mark Harper: The Universal Credit IT core system was fully operational throughout February. In Leigh, however, there was a problem in non-UC IT which was remedied promptly.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations he has received from local authorities in Tranche 1 for universal credit roll-out about his Department's implementation plans for universal credit; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many local authorities are in the Tranche 1 group for the roll out of universal credit; and how many such authorities have signed a delivery partnership agreement.

Mr Mark Harper: I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer I gave on 23 February 2015 to Question UIN224389, We expect to confirm delivery partnership agreements with all Local Authorities in Tranche 1 at the point they go-live with Universal Credit. A full list of local authorities included in Tranche 1 can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-national-expansion

Social Security Benefits

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2015 to Question 224391, what targets his Department has for the timeliness of processing benefits.

Esther McVey: The Department for Work and Pensions aims to transform people’s lives by helping them find and remain in work and to ensure work pays. The effectiveness of Benefit Centres is monitored by a suite of measures to track and manage the range of benefits it administers. This includes Cabinet Office's Structural Reform Plan and the internal Performance Environment. The Department regularly publishes information on a number of key areas of performance; these are included in our Transparency Indicators page and the DWP Mid year review which was published in December 2014. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-business-plan-transparency-measures/dwp-business-plan-transparency-measures DWP mid-year report April 2014 to September 2014 - Publications - GOV.UK We also report additional information in DWP's Annual Report and Accounts.

Employment Schemes: Disabled

Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many individuals in Peterborough constituency have participated in the work choice scheme in each year since 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: Below are the number of individuals starting the Work Choice programme within Peterborough Parliamentary Constituency, in each financial year since the start of the programme on 25th October 2010 and up to 31st December 2014: Parliamentary Constituency2010-11 (from 25th October 2010) [1]2011-122012-132013-142014-15 (up to 31st December 2014)Peterborough6030303030[1] Cases from WORKSTEP, Workprep and Job Introduction Scheme were transferred over to Work Choice on the go-live date of 25th October 2010.

Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the extent of partnership working between work programme providers and local NHS and public health bodies; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: Work Programme providers have flexibility to innovate and to design support that addresses the needs of individuals and the local labour market and they are responsible for promoting the programme to ensure effective engagement with key stakeholders, including local partners such as public health bodies. Providers will develop a plan that takes into account a participant’s physical or mental health issues in order to help them to achieve their specific job goals. Many providers provide health and well-being support, either in house or through specialist sub-contractors.  If the Work Programme prime provider cannot help a participant directly, we expect them to engage with local specialist organisations and work with a broad range of subcontractors to deliver the tailored support that can help people into work. This may include organisations that are part of the voluntary and community sector or are public health bodies with local NHS Trusts forming part of the supply chain in some areas. We are currently exploring ways in which we can build on the success of the current programme in the design of future contracts, including through ensuring effective partnership working with other government departments, and at the local level. We will be engaging with stakeholders as this work progresses. The DWP is also taking forward a number of voluntary pilots based on the recommendations in the Psychological Wellbeing and Work Report; one of the pilots will offer integrated employment and psychological support to people with mental health problems who are in or out of work who do not engage with face-to-face services or who prefer online transactions. These Psychological Wellbeing and Work pilots will contribute to a better evidence base for action and will inform our thinking about next steps, not only for Government, but for all who have a role to play, including employers, commissioners, service providers and individuals.

Older Workers

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he has taken to implement the commitments in Fuller Working Lives - a framework for action, published by his Department in June 2014.

Steve Webb: Since June 2014 this Government has: - Appointed Dr Ros Altmann CBE as the Business Champion for Older Workers to actively promote the business case and benefits of employing older workers, seeking to engage and influence both strategically and in terms of practical advice. Dr Altmann has engaged with over 80 organisations and attended numerous events and speaking engagements. Ministers have attended three meetings of Dr Altmann’s working group and have also met with her to discuss her emerging findings. She will shortly be making her recommendations to the Government.- Announced new pilots that will be based on our current sector based work academies and Work Experience programmes, but tailored to the needs of older claimants.- Extended the right to request flexible working, which can help older workers to stay in the labour market.- Launched the advice element of Fit for Work, which helps with sickness absence and provides an occupational health assessment and health and work advice to employees, employers and GPs.- Completed the first stage of the Inclusive Technology Prize to inspire innovation from individuals and small businesses to develop assistive living technology.- Funded ‘Carers in Employment’ pilots in nine Local Authorities.- Launched a small scale pilot in Gloucestershire, designed to support Carers Allowance claimants whose engagement with Jobcentre Plus is optional.- Started working with Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs). In September 2014 (partnering with Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP) we held a national conference on economic growth, focussing on retaining and recruiting older workers.- Announced two trials that will explore what may provide effective support for older claimants looking at career reviews and IT and digital support.- Announced the introduction of regional ‘Champions’ in Jobcentre Plus. These Jobcentre Plus staff will work with both Work Coaches and local employers to raise the profile of and highlight the benefits of employing older claimants.- Carried out polling research to explore the attitudes of the over 50s, and employer attitudes to Fuller Working Lives to help shape policy and messaging. This also allowed us to further understand the perceived benefits and barriers to later life working. More information on attitudes-of-over-50s can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/attitudes-of-the-over-50s-to-fuller-working-lives. In Spring 2015 we will publish a new older workers employer toolkit, and NIACE’s final report on Mid-Life career review will be completed which will make number of recommendations based on the research findings.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average amount of funding provided by his Department to a local authority is for personal budgeting support when universal credit is implemented in a local authority area.

Steve Webb: Funding for councils is developed on a local volumes basis, in the light of OBR forecasts an average has not yet been calculated.

Access to Work Programme: Peterborough

Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many individuals have (a) applied for and (b) been granted assistance through the access to work programme in Peterborough constituency in each year since 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Mark Harper: Information on Access to Work applications is not available at a Parliamentary Constituency level. Below are the numbers of individuals helped by Access to Work in Peterborough Parliamentary Constituency in each financial year since 2007: Parliamentary Constituency2007-082008-092009-102010-112011-122012-132013-14Peterborough70607070606070

Disability Living Allowance

Dr Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many recipients of disability living allowance have been required to make repayments to his Department after continuing to claim the benefit whilst hospitalised for medical treatment in 2014-15 to date.

Mr Mark Harper: We do not hold the information requested verified to the standards set by the UK Statistics Authority.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many prosecutions have been brought for benefit fraud in each year since 2010.

Mr Mark Harper: The table below represents the number of prosecutions for benefit fraud since 2010. YearNumber prosecuted for benefit fraud2009-20108,1982010-20119,9612011-2012*not available2012-20139,8362013-20149244* Following a merger of DWP Prosecution Division (PD)with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in April 2012, the prosecution data for benefit fraud offences 2011/2012 was not gathered and the information from PD is no longer available in that format. The data available from DWP sources is not reliable in the context of this request.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Horses

Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the powers available to local authorities to intervene on privately-owned land to (a) monitor and (b) protect the welfare of horses; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice: The Animal Welfare Act 2006 provides appropriate powers to allow Local Authority inspectors to investigate allegations of poor welfare of horses. The 2006 Act was reviewed in 2010 and the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs made no recommendation to change the powers available to Local Authorities.

Thames Flood Barrier

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many times the Thames Barrier has to close in a single year to breach Tier 1 of the Thames Estuary 2100 Plan.

Dan Rogerson: The Environment Agency’s Thames Estuary 2100 plan has 10 monitored indicators which ensure the plan is adaptable to change and remains fit for purpose throughout its 100 year life.   One of the indicators refers to the number of times Thames Barrier closures exceed 50 in a year. If more than 50 closures a year were to become a regular occurrence this would impact the reliability of the Barrier.

Birds of Prey

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the number of endangered and protected birds of prey which have been killed by owners of grouse moors or their employees in the most recent year for which figures are available; and how many of those incidents resulted in a prosecution.

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the prevalence of poisoning of wild animals on grouse moors with (a) carofuran and (b) other substances for which this use is not permitted.

George Eustice: The Health and Safety Executive publishes statistics of reported pesticide incidents involving wildlife under the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme (WIIS). Maps of birds of prey poisoning in England and Wales were last published in 2013. The UK National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) gathers intelligence on crimes against wildlife. Prosecution statistics do not identify either the nature of the defendant’s profession, the nature of the habitat or the specific species concerned.

Game: Gun Sports

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will require people shooting grouse for sport to have gained basic shooting skills, so birds are killed quickly rather than dying slowly of their injuries.

George Eustice: The use of firearms is regulated under firearms legislation, which gives licenses to those who are deemed to be safe to use them.   It is the responsibility of the shooter and the shooting community to know what calibre is legally required or otherwise suitable for which quarry species and ensure sufficient levels of skill are attained to affect a clean humane kill. All game shooters are encouraged to comply with the recommendations in the industry’s Code of Good Shooting Practice, available online at: http://www.codeofgoodshootingpractice.org.uk/page/11 Further protection from unnecessary suffering is afforded by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 where the animal is under the control of man (for example injured and within the control of man to address its suffering).

Game: Birds

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effects of intensive, monocultural grouse production on biodiversity.

George Eustice: An assessment of the effects of grouse production on biodiversity has not been made by Defra.

Animal Welfare: Trapping

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the number of (a) foxes, (b) badgers and (c) domestic pets killed by snare traps since the introduction of the Code of Practice on the use of snares in 2005.

George Eustice: Defra does not collect data on the numbers of different species of animals killed by snares and is not aware of any reliable data gathered by third parties.

Game: Gun Sports

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total cost to the public purse of subsidies provided to owners and operators of grouse moors was in each of the last three financial years.

George Eustice: Payments under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) are not targeted at owners or operators of grouse moors. Those who have such land at their disposal (which in many cases on moorland will be a tenant rather than a landlord) may claim direct payments, subject to meeting scheme rules, provided the land is used for agricultural production or is maintained in a condition suitable for production. Agri-environment payments are made to those who enter into agreements to deliver environmental benefits, and across the uplands tenants and commoners are the principal beneficiaries. The Rural Development Programme also supports various socio-economic projects but not any specifically relating to the owners and operators of grouse moors. We do not systematically record whether those meeting the conditions to benefit from CAP schemes are also owners or operators of grouse moors.   Owners or operators of grouse moors may of course be eligible for other grants or subsidies, as are other businesses.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Planning Permission

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what number and proportion of planning applications to build on sites in (a) Dudley, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England involved building on designated green belt land in each of the last five years.

Brandon Lewis: National Statistics for planning applications in England do not indicate the number of applications for building on Green Belt. Disregarding land re-classified as National Park (which continues to be protected), the Green Belt is 34,000 hectares larger than in 1997. The level of Green Belt development in 2011 (the latest year for which we have available data) was at its lowest rate since modern records began in 1989 (defined as total land changing to a developed use in the Green Belt), and the Coalition Government has maintained its strong commitment to Green Belt protection.

Procurement

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the total value of contracts his Department has with private sector providers was in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Kris Hopkins: We have interpreted the question about the value of contracts to mean spend against those contracts by the Department with private sector providers in the each of the last five financial years. For 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12, we do not hold the information split by private and public sectors. For the remaining financial years, spend with private sector providers were £131 million in 2012-13 and £134 million in 2013-14. Spending with our third party suppliers (private and public sectors) has reduced by 53% from £314 million in 2009-10 to £148 million in 2013-14 for the core DCLG Department, delivering a significant saving for taxpayers.

Wales Office

Procurement

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what the total value of contracts his Department has with private sector providers was in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Alun Cairns: As a small Government Department we use the buying power of larger government departments to procure services, primarily the Ministry of Justice, and we do not therefore possess the information requested.

HM Treasury

Landlords: Taxation

Mr William Bain: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will assess the effect on revenues to the Exchequer of buy-to-let landlords (a) being able to offset their bank interest against taxable income, (b) claiming the 10 per cent wear and tear allowance and (c) minimising their exposure to capital gains tax on the sale of properties by use of allowances or reliefs in each of the last three years.

Mr David Gauke: The information requested is not available.

Renewable Energy: Tax Allowances

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effects on the number of community energy co-operatives of the removal of entitlement to Enterprise Investment Scheme tax relief.

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when existing community energy co-operatives will lose their entitlement to Enterprise Investment Scheme tax relief.

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to provide a two year transition period for community energy co-operatives to move from Enterprise Investment Scheme tax relief to social investment tax relief eligibility.

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason the entitlement to Enterprise Investment Scheme tax relief is being removed from existing community energy co-operatives.

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effects of removing community energy co-operatives' entitlement to Enterprise Investment Scheme tax relief on (a) the energy market and (b) the choice of energy providers available to consumers.

Mr David Gauke: The government has been clear that lower-risk companies which already receive support through particular renewable energy tariffs and incentives should not also qualify for the tax incentives offered through the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS), Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) and the Venture Capital Trust scheme (VCTs). However, the government recognises that community energy projects currently face particular challenges owing to the small scale, higher fixed and operational costs and an underdeveloped market. For this reason, Autumn Statement announced that all community energy generation undertaken by qualifying organisations will be eligible for Social Investment Tax Relief (SITR) with effect from the date of the expansion of SITR, at which point it will cease to be eligible for EIS, SEIS or VCTs.   Co-operatives do not qualify for SITR as they are run for the benefit of their members rather than for the benefit of the community. However, co-operatives with a social purpose and which meet other criteria can convert to a community benefit society by free application to the FCA. Those that remain co-operatives and benefit from subsidies for the generation of renewable energy will no longer be eligible for EIS, SEIS and VCTs once State aid approval is received for the expansion of SITR.   The government is currently considering appropriate arrangements to ensure that there is a smooth transition for community energy activities from EIS, SEIS and VCTs to SITR.   By allowing community energy organisations to qualify for SITR in the future, the government is ensuring that community organisations generating energy for the community benefit will remain able to access tax-relieved investment. The government believes that the community purpose underpinning community energy schemes makes accessing risk finance under SITR more appropriate than using the other tax-advantaged venture capital schemes. In addition, co-operatives which choose not to benefit from subsidies for the generation of renewable energy will remain eligible for investment under the tax-advantaged venture capital schemes. The government believes that the incentives it provides are fair and sufficient to encourage investment into community energy organisations. The government remains committed to the community energy sector more generally and continues to offer grant and loan development support through programmes such as the Rural Community Energy Fund, the Urban Community Energy Fund and the Green Investment Bank.   An assessment of the impacts can be found here:   https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/385117/TIIN_2111_2054.pdf

Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties

Tim Loughton: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the proportion of an average-priced bottle of wine which is paid in tax.

Tim Loughton: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information his Department holds on the proportion of total taxation revenue from wine paid across EU member states which is paid by UK consumers.

Priti Patel: Data on the proportion of an average-priced bottle of wine which is paid on tax is published by HMRC in the Alcohol Factsheet. This can be found in Table 3.3 at:   https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/Pages/TaxAndDutybulletins.aspx   No estimate has been made on the proportion of total taxation revenue from wine paid across EU member states which is paid by UK consumers.

Wines

Tim Loughton: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total contribution to the Exchequer of the wine industry was in each of the last five years.

Priti Patel: Information on Corporation Tax, VAT, Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions is not available at that level of disaggregation.

Spirits

Tim Loughton: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of gin sold in the UK was produced domestically in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Priti Patel: Information on domestically produced gin sales in the UK is not available as HM Revenue and Customs does not collect this data, as taxpayers do not need to declare this information to us.   Although there is not a category specifically for gin, HM Revenue and Customs publishes data on receipts from duties on spirits that are released for consumption and data on quantities of spirits released for consumption in the monthly alcohol bulletin: https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/Pages/TaxAndDutybulletins.aspx

Spirits

Tim Loughton: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what quantity of spirits produced in the UK was exported in 2013.

Priti Patel: HM Revenue & Customs is responsible for the collection of data on UK imports and exports. From the collected trade data however, we cannot identify exports of UK produced spirits.   The quantity of spirits exported from the UK in 2013 is:   UK Exports of Spirits1 in 2013Value (£ million)Weight in kilograms (millions)Litres of pure (100%) alcohol (millions) Spirits15,241.7986.1426.3  Source: HMRC Overseas Trade Statistics  Note:  1) Spirits defined as HS2208 (undenatured ethyl alcohol <80%vol; spirits; liqueurs and other spirituous beverages),excluding HS2208 70 (Liqueurs and cordials) and CN2208 90 91 and CN 2208 90 99 (undenatured ethyl alcohol <80%vol)2) Trade is presented on a General Trade basis 3) EU Trade includes Below Threshold Trade Allocations (BTTAs)

Public Accounts Committee

Chi Onwurah: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he next plans to publish Treasury minutes: progress report on implementing recommendations of Public Accounts Committee.

Andrea Leadsom: Treasury Minutes: progress report on the implementation of Government accepted recommendations of the Committee of Public Accounts – Sessions 2010-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 will be published on Thursday 19 March 2015.

Minimum Wage

Lisa Nandy: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many successful prosecutions for breaches of national minimum wage legislation there have been since 2010.

Mr David Gauke: The Government takes the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) very seriously and has increased the financial penalty percentage from 50% to 100% of the unpaid wages owed to workers, and the maximum penalty from £5,000 to £20,000. These new limits are now in force where arrears are identified in pay reference periods on or after 7 March 2014. The Government will also bring in primary legislation as soon as possible so that the maximum £20,000 penalty can apply to each underpaid worker. I refer the honourable member to the response provided by the Solicitor General on 16 October 2014 to UIN 209683

Department for Energy and Climate Change

Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme accepts a boiler that has met the emissions limits set for E class fuels according to the EN303-5:2012 standard.

Amber Rudd: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what emission certification dedicated to E class fuels exists under the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.

Amber Rudd: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether it is his policy that the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme accepts an emissions certificate where an E class fuel group is stated as one of the fuels officially approved by the manufacturers and tested by an accredited laboratory.

Amber Rudd: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether pelletized waste coffee beans or grounds are included in the definition of E class fuels for the purpose of the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.

Amber Rudd: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Energy: Billing

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many and what proportion of households in (a) England and (b) the UK used (i) pre-payment, (ii) direct debit and (iii) standard credit methods for paying for energy in each year since 2010; and what proportion of each such group of customers was categorised as fuel poor.

Amber Rudd: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Northern Ireland Office

Procurement

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the total value of contracts her Department has with private sector providers was in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: My Department receives procurement services from the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) and the Central Procurement Directorate (CPD) of the Northern Ireland Civil Service. All contracts agreed with either Crown Commercial Services or the Central Procurement Directorate are available on their respective websites:CCS - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/crown-commercial-serviceCPD - http://www.dfpni.gov.uk/cpd

Department for Culture Media and Sport

Apprentices

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many apprentices employed by (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies and associated bodies are aged (i) 16 to 18, (ii) 19 to 24 and (iii) 25 years or older; and how many of those apprentices employed in each form of body and of each age group were previously employed by the Government.

Mrs Helen Grant: a) The numbers of apprentices employed by Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which includes GEO, are shown in the table below by age: AgeNumber of Apprenticesi) 16 – 18 years old2ii) 19 – 24 years old3iii) 25 years & older0 No apprentices were previously employed by the Government. b). The Royal Parks Agency (TRP) is an executive agency of the Department for Culture,Media and Sport and as an organisation does not employ any apprentices directly.  We do not hold information for our arm’s length bodies.

Broadband: Wales

Mr David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many fibre broadband hub stations there are in each local government area in Wales; how many such hubs are live; and what the expected roll-out date is for each station.

Mr Edward Vaizey: Superfast broadband coverage in Wales has now reached over 1 million premises, over two-thirds of the total in Wales. 345,000 premises have gained coverage as a result of the Superfast Cymru broadband programme which has funding from the UK government, Welsh Government and European funds. The contract for Superfast Cymru is not based on delivery of cabinet or exchange upgrades, but instead requires target numbers of premises able to access superfast broadband. A list of exchanges and deployment status by local authority area is available on the Superfast Cymru website: http://www.superfast-cymru.com/where-and-whenOpenreach publishes a list of exchanges accepting orders which can be searched at: https://www.superfast-openreach.co.uk/where-and-when/

Broadband: Ashford

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of provision of broadband in the rural areas of Ashford constituency; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Edward Vaizey: Superfast broadband coverage in the Ashford constituency is expected to be around 92 per cent at the end of phase 2 of the superfast broadband programme, subject to agreement of a phase 2 contract by Kent County Council. It is also dependent on the extent of any practical delivery issues encountered during deployment of both publicly-funded and privately-funded superfast broadband networks. In addition, 1,975 premises in rural Ashford and Shepway will gain coverage as a result of an additional £1,593,509 of government funding to Kent for rural community projects.

Advertising

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much his Department has spent on advertising on Classic FM in each of the last 12 months.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The release of this information would prejudice commercial interests.

Advertising

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much his Department has spent on advertising on regional commercial radio stations in each of the last 12 months.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The Department has spent £569,000 on advertising on regional commercial stations broken down as follows: £269,000 to promote broadband connection vouchers in eligible cities (November-December 2014)£300,000 as part of the government’s £8 million superfast broadband awareness campaign (February 2015)

Department of Health

Training

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department spent on training in each of the last three financial years.

Dr Daniel Poulter: The total spend on staff learning and development in the last three financial years, combining both central spend by the learning and development section of Human Resources (HR) and by local directorates, is presented in the table below. The figures in the table below include payments for Civil Service HR expert services which in turn includes Civil Service Learning fees.   Financial YearAnnual Learning and Development Expenditure £2011-12976,5272012-131,037,1962013-14779,4611 April 2014 – 31 January 2015644,335   The information in the above tables does not include costs incurred for programme-funded training, or training for non-permanent workers within the Department.

In Vitro Fertilisation: West Midlands

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of IVF cycle procedures that were carried out by West Midlands NHS trusts in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of cataract surgery procedures that were carried out by West Midlands NHS trusts in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of knee replacement operations that were carried out by West Midlands NHS trusts in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of varicose vein surgery procedures that were carried out by West Midlands NHS trusts in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of breast reduction operations that were carried out by West Midlands NHS trusts in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of hip replacement operations that were carried out by West Midlands NHS trusts in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Jane Ellison: The sum of Finished Consultant Episodes (FCEs) with a main or secondary procedure of; (a) IVF cycle procedures, (b) cataract surgery procedures, (c) hip replacement operations, (d) knee replacement operations, (e) varicose vein surgery procedures and (f) breast reduction operations carried out by West Midlands NHS Trusts in 2013-14 is shown in the attached table. 



FCEs Procedures Table
(Word Document, 18.46 KB)

Training

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his Department's training budget was in each of the last three financial years.

Jane Ellison: Learning and development is funded from both a central departmental budget and from local directorate budgets.   The core Department’s annual central Learning and Development budget allocations for each of the last three financial years can be found in the table below.   Financial YearAnnual Learning and Development Budget £2011-12804,6732012-13950,0002013-141,115,000   Directorates have discretion in how they use their local budgets to support professional and technical training according to business need. These local budgets are not ring fenced specifically and therefore have been excluded in the table above.

Postural Tachycardia Syndrome

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department issues to NHS trusts on the effective diagnosis and treatment of postural tachycardia syndrome.

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has undertaken into the effective diagnosis and treatment of postural tachycardia syndrome.

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received from patients' groups about postural tachycardia syndrome.

Jane Ellison: In 2010, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published guidance on the assessment, diagnosis and specialist referral of adults and young people who experience transient loss of consciousness, which is one of the symptoms of postural tachycardia syndrome. It is for individual clinical commissioning groups to make decisions on the services for and treatments they provide for patients with postural tachycardia syndrome, taking into account all the available evidence and guidance.   The Department funds the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). Researchers at the NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre have undertaken a study exploring the characteristics of patients with postural tachycardia syndrome in the United Kingdom. The findings were published in the journal BMJ Open in 2014:   http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/4/6/e004127.full   The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including diagnosis and treatment of postural tachycardia syndrome. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.   The Department has received written representations from various sources, including trustees of groups representing patients with this condition.

Tobacco: Packaging

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will delay the commencement of regulations on the standardised packaging of tobacco products for 12 months or until any legal challenges have been concluded.

Jane Ellison: Certain parts of the Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations implement the European Tobacco Products Directive are required to be brought into force in May 2016. For those regulations that introduce further requirements, it is clear that there are benefits for business if the requirements of the Directive and the further standardised packaging requirements are implemented at the same time.   The Government will keep under close review all legal challenges that are relevant to standardised packaging of tobacco products. If legal challenges are made to the regulations, then it will promote certainty, and be better for all affected parties, that such challenges are determined in courts or tribunals as soon as possible.

Antibiotics

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent research his Department has conducted, funded or commissioned into the transmission of antimicrobial resistance from animal pathogens to human pathogens.

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent research his Department has conducted, funded or commissioned into the transmission of antimicrobial resistance from animal pathogens to human pathogens.

George Freeman: Public Health England (PHE), the Veterinary Medicines Directorate and colleagues from the devolved administrations plan to publish a joint report (One Health Report 2015) on human and animal antibiotic use and resistance in the United Kingdom in May 2015. The report compares primary/secondary care prescribing data and veterinary antibiotic sales data and presents antimicrobial resistance (AMR) levels to key antibiotics used in human and veterinary medicine for important indicator (Escherichia coli) and zoonotic (Campylobacter spp., non-typhoidal Salmonella) bacteria. There are significant differences in the surveillance systems providing the data for this report; this report will improve the understanding of the AMR relationship between animals and humans in the UK.   PHE is being funded by the Department’s Policy Research Programme and the Food Standards Agency to look at public health risk associated with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) positive E. Coli from non-human reservoirs. This will be the largest study of its kind undertaken in the UK and involves England, Wales and Scotland. It is planned to publish the report in 2016.   The Department’s National Institute for Health Research is funding a Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance at the University of Oxford. This is a research partnership between the university and PHE. The unit is working with the Animal and Plant Health Agency to develop and validate tools to look for resistance genes in bacteria from diverse sources using new genome sequencing technologies rather than classical methods.   A study by researchers at the former Health Protection Agency, published in 2010, investigated E. coli producing ESBL enzymes from chicken meat imported into the UK from South America. The study specifically looked at whether the meat was a source of the common ST131 clone or CTX-M 15 ESBL producers. It was concluded that this was not a significant source of either the ST131 clone or the CTX-M 15 ESBLs in the UK. The publication is available at:   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20889530   Work funded by the Medical Research Council includes research led by the University of Cambridge looking at emergence of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus in cattle and transmission to humans.   The Antimicrobial Resistance Funders’ Forum (AMRFF) has been established to provide a forum for the sharing of information on activities relating to AMR, and in particular anti-bacterial resistance, by the various member organisations. The Forum provides a framework for a more coordinated approach to tackling AMR research to maximise impact on national and international policies and activities. Membership of the AMRFF includes the Research Councils, Health Departments, Governmental bodies as well as charities with a direct or indirect interest in AMR and which provide significant research and development budgets in the area.

Procurement

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total value of contracts his Department has with private sector providers was in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Dr Daniel Poulter: Information held by the Department shows the total value of contracts with private sector providers was for each of the financial years for which we have records available at a proportionate cost:   Financial YearValue of Contract2011/12£365,621,0612012/13£428,405,6162013/14£245,882,7592014/15£156,256,479   The above figures include all spend that either currently is or was previously under contract with the third party commercial providers of the Department.   Information for 2010/11, whilst being available, is not in a format to answer the question without the Department incurring disproportionate costs.

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to improve patient care for people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Jane Ellison: In 2013, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published a clinical guideline on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), providing evidence based advice to support clinicians in diagnosing and managing people with IPF which it expects to review in June 2015. Since then, it has published a quality standard for IPF in January 2015. This sets out the markers of high quality in the care of people with IPF and is designed to drive up standards and to reduce inequalities and variation. NICE has also recommended pirfenidone (Esbriet) as a possible treatment for some people with IPF through its technology appraisal programme.   NHS England commissions some services for patients with IPF as part of its specialised services remit. Its respiratory interstitial lung disease (adult) service specification, which includes IPF, sets out what it expects to be in place so that providers can offer evidence based safe and effective services. This specification is currently being updated to ensure it includes the most up to date guidance on IPF including the recently published NICE quality standards. Commissioning of rehabilitation, oxygen services and acute admissions for exacerbations are covered by local commissioning arrangements.

Nurses

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many registered nurses (a) left and (b) joined NHS employment in each of the last five years.

Dr Daniel Poulter: There are now over 7,000 more nurses, midwives and health visitors working in the National Health Service than in May 2010.   The attached table shows the number of registered nurses that have left and joined employment in each of the last five years. 



Registered nurses to leave & join NHS employment 
(Excel SpreadSheet, 11.09 KB)

Clinical Commissioning Groups

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of income received by commissioning support units from clinical commissioning groups is spent supporting clinical commissioning groups in outsourcing NHS services.

Jane Ellison: This information is not collected centrally.

NHS Walk-in Centres: North West

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding NHS walk-in centres in (a) Preston, (b) Lancashire and (c) the North West received from Government in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011, (iii) 2012, (iv) 2013 and (v) 2014.

Jane Ellison: This information is not available centrally.   Since 2007, the local National Health Service has been responsible for NHS walk-in-centres. Local commissioners decide on the funding and availability of these services.

Methadone: Blyth Valley

Mr Ronnie Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in Blyth Valley constituency were on methadone maintenance treatment in the last three years; and what proportion of all NHS spending on methadone maintenance treatment was spent in Blyth Valley constituency in that time.

Jane Ellison: The National Drug Treatment Monitoring System collects information on the number of people receiving substitute prescribing interventions for substance misuse in England, but does not distinguish between methadone and other drugs such as buprenorphine which are also recommended for the treatment of opioid drug misuse by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.   Figures for adults receiving a prescribing intervention in Northumberland for the last three years are presented below. Treatment figures are only available at local authority level, so the requested figures for the Blyth Valley constituency are not available. Information on methadone maintenance spending is not collected centrally.Adults in receipt of a prescribing intervention2011-127752012-137782013-14769 Source: National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS)

Ambulance Services: North West

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what meetings Ministers in his Department have had with the North West Amublance Service on ambulance cover and ambulance waiting times in (a) Preston and (b) the North West in 2014.

Jane Ellison: My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State chaired a teleconference with the heads of all regional ambulance services, including the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust, on 12 October 2014 to discuss their contingency plans ahead of industrial action the following week.

Mental Health Services: Children

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects that the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Dataset will start publishing data; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 26 February 2015.The correct answer should have been:

The Health and Social Care Information Centre advise that the collection of data for the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services dataset will start at the beginning of February 2016. The first submission period will cover January to March 2016. Statistical reports based on the initial data collection will be published in mid-2016.   The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance Multiple sclerosis: management of multiple sclerosis in primary and secondary care, updated in October 2014, sets out best practice on the diagnosis, treatment, care and support of people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The guidance makes a range of recommendations on drug based treatments for MS, but also highlights the importance of involving professionals who can meet the needs of the patient in the best way, such as physiotherapists and occupational therapists. With regard to early diagnosis, MS is a difficult condition to diagnose as a number of the symptoms such as fatigue, depression or dizziness may be unrelated. The guidance sets out a number of initial presentations that clinicians should be aware of when looking for signs of MS. It also recommends a number of assessments a clinician should make, including testing of vision and blood tests before referral to a consultant neurologist, who can confirm or exclude a diagnosis of MS, subject to investigation.

Norman Lamb: The Health and Social Care Information Centre advise that the collection of data for the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services dataset will start at the beginning of February 2016. The first submission period will cover January to March 2016. Statistical reports based on the initial data collection will be published in mid-2016.   The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance Multiple sclerosis: management of multiple sclerosis in primary and secondary care, updated in October 2014, sets out best practice on the diagnosis, treatment, care and support of people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The guidance makes a range of recommendations on drug based treatments for MS, but also highlights the importance of involving professionals who can meet the needs of the patient in the best way, such as physiotherapists and occupational therapists. With regard to early diagnosis, MS is a difficult condition to diagnose as a number of the symptoms such as fatigue, depression or dizziness may be unrelated. The guidance sets out a number of initial presentations that clinicians should be aware of when looking for signs of MS. It also recommends a number of assessments a clinician should make, including testing of vision and blood tests before referral to a consultant neurologist, who can confirm or exclude a diagnosis of MS, subject to investigation.

NHS

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he (a) received and (b) plans to publish the report by Lord Rose on NHS Leadership.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when his Department will publish the Report by Sir Stuart Rose on NHS Leadership.

Dr Daniel Poulter: Lord Rose submitted his report to the Secretary of State for Health on 23 December 2014 in line with original terms of reference. Since then the remit of the review has been expanded to take into account the NHS’s Five Year Forward View, which was published after Lord Rose’s review had begun. This means that further work is currently being undertaken before the final report can be published, therefore no date for publication has yet been agreed.

Hepatitis: Drugs

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answers of 19 January 2015 to Questions 219601 and 219602, when NHS England plans to make an accouncement regarding its plans for patients with cirrhosis from April 2015; and whether funding will be made available to support those patients to access treatment.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answers of 19 January 2015 to Questions 219601 and 219602, what discussions NHS England has had with stakeholders regarding its assessment of need for patients with cirrhosis from April 2015.

George Freeman: NHS England has advised that it is currently developing interim proposals to allow patients with cirrhosis meeting specified clinical criteria to receive some of the new combination therapies. The aim is that interim commissioning policies will be in place by the first half of 2015.   NHS England is developing these interim commissioning policies, with support from Public Health England, based on an assessment of clinical need. In doing so, it has also engaged with clinical and patient stakeholders from the national Clinical Reference Groups.

Obesity

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of differences in genetic susceptibility to obesity.

Jane Ellison: Whilst no direct assessment has been made of the implications for public health policy in relation to differences in genetic susceptibility to obesity, health policy is however responsive to and recognises where the evidence supports specific action in relation to particular population subgroups.

Asthma: Medical Equipment

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many asthma patients in England have been prescribed short-acting reliever inhalers in each of the last five years.

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients in England have been prescribed more than 12 short-acting reliever inhalers in each of the last five years.

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many prescriptions for asthma medications were issued in each of the last five years.

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many short-acting reliever inhalers for the treatment of asthma have been prescribed in each of the last five years.

George Freeman: Information is not collected centrally on the numbers of prescriptions issued, the number of people prescribed medicines or the medical condition being treated. However, information is available on the number of prescription items dispensed in the community in England. This is attached. 



Asthma medicine prescription items
(Word Document, 20.69 KB)

NHS: Finance

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the consultancy reports he has commissioned into the challenged local health economy of (a) Staffordshire, (b) Eastern Cheshire, (c) South West London, (d) North East London, (e) Cumbria, (f) Mid Essex, (g) Cambridge and Peterborough, (h) Leicestershire, (i) Northamptonshire, (j) East Sussex and (k) Devon has been completed; and when copies of each completed report were delivered to (i) the project's Joint Programme Board, (ii) NHS England, (iii) the Trust Development Authority, (iv) Monitor and (v) his Department.

Jane Ellison: The Department of Health has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

NHS: Finance

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the expected target dates are for completion of the reports commissioned from consultants into the challenged local health economy of (a) Staffordshire, (b) Eastern Cheshire, (c) South West London, (d) North East London, (e) Cumbria, (f) Mid Essex, (g) Cambridge and Peterborough, (h) Leicestershire, (i) Northamptonshire, (j) East Sussex and (k) Devon; and when he expects copies of reports to be delivered to (i) the project's Joint Programme Board, (ii) NHS England, (iii) the Trust Development Authority, (iv) Monitor and (v) his Department.

Jane Ellison: The Department of Health has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

NHS: Finance

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which consultancy firm has been commissioned to review the challenged local health economy of (a) Staffordshire, (b) Eastern Cheshire, (c) South West London, (d) North East London, (e) Cumbria, (f) Mid Essex, (g) Cambridge and Peterborough, (h) Leicestershire, (i) Northamptonshire, (j) East Sussex and (k) Devon; and when each such firm started its work in each area.

Jane Ellison: The Department of Health has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Burns: South East

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on the burns review in the South East; and which hospitals are affected by that review.

Jane Ellison: We are advised by NHS England that the burns review in the South East is ongoing. Currently there are no agreed major service changes proposed to services, however the London and South East Operational Delivery Network is developing a Public and Patient Engagement strategy. Since 1 April 2013 the programme has come under the auspices of the London and South East Operational Delivery Network (ODN), which is one of the cross-regional networks for specialist burn care services. The designation of burns facilities has been completed, and work is continuing through the ODN and NHS England to support compliance against national standards and service specifications.   NHS England further advises that the review affects Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford and Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

Asthma

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average length of stay in hosptial was for people admitted with a primary diagnosis of asthma in each of the last five years.

Jane Ellison: The mean and median average length of stay in hospital for people admitted with a primary diagnosis of asthma in each of the last five years for which we hold data (2009-10 to 2013-14) is shown in the table below.   YearMeanMedianNumber of observations2009-102.6166,7812010-112.6166,6092011-122.6159,5782012-132.6167,8852013-142.6163,312   Notes: The figures are not a count of people as the same person may have had more than one episode of care within the same time period. Information relating to the patient's diagnosis is based only on the final episode of the spell. Length of stay is defined as the difference in days between the admission date and the episode end date (duration of episode) or discharge date (duration of spell), where both dates are given. Length of stay is based on hospital stays and only applies to ordinary admissions not day cases (unless otherwise stated). Information relating to length of stay, including discharge method/destination, diagnoses and any operative procedures, is based only on the final episode of the spell. A discharge episode is the last episode during a hospital stay (a spell), where the patient is discharged from the hospital or transferred to another hospital. Discharges do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one discharge from hospital within the period. The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics data set and provides the main reason why the patient was admitted to hospital.

Social Services: Veterans

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2015 to Question 223818, what progress his Department has made in discussions with the Royal British Legion on how a disregard may be applied for the War Pension scheme under social care charging rules in future.

Norman Lamb: Further to my reply of 12 February 2015 to Question 223818, Departmental officials are continuing to engage with the Royal British Legion to understand the potential scale of additional costs in this area. A further meeting is due in early March.

Macular Degeneration: Drugs

Dr Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will review regulations applying to the licensing of the drug Avastin for use in eye conditions, in response to recent research on that drug's safety and efficacy compared to licensed alternatives.

George Freeman: The European framework for licensing of medicines is designed to ensure medicines that are placed on the market have been tested for safety, quality and efficacy and the system confers important benefits for patients and the healthcare system. Avastin is not licensed for the treatment of eye conditions and has not been assessed by the regulatory authorities for the treatment of eye conditions. However, clinicians may decide to use an off label or unlicensed medicine in cases where there is not a licensed medicine available to meet the clinical needs of an individual patient. There are no plans at this time to review the regulations that apply to licensing of medicines.

Colorectal Cancer

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the Government is doing to support endoscopy units to ensure that there is sufficient capacity in resources and staff for the roll-out of the bowel scope screening programme.

Jane Ellison: Between May 2010 and November 2014, we have seen a 29.1% increase in consultant gastroenterologists, from 1,788 to 2,302.   Delivering high quality, effective, compassionate care: Developing the right people with the right skills and the right values - A mandate from the Government to Health Education England: April 2014 to March 2015 states that Health Education England (HEE) will work with key partners to ensure that the National Health Service has available the right number of trained staff to deliver current and future demand for diagnostic tests. In particular, HEE will work with Public Health England and NHS England to ensure the availability of sufficient endoscopists to deliver bowel scope screening.   A Joint Endoscopy Working Group, set up by NHS England's National Clinical Director for Diagnostics and Imaging, has been analysing the latest data, and an action plan is being developed to ensure sufficient capacity in the short and long term. The action plan will cover a wide range of organisations including HEE, NHS England, clinical commissioning groups and providers of endoscopy services. Potential actions identified include: developing robust endoscopy capacity and demand data; a national workforce strategy for endoscopy; supporting the training of non-medical endoscopists; including sufficient endoscopy capacity in business planning; and identifying new pathways and models of working.   In addition NHS Improving Quality has developed The Productive Endoscopy Series, a set of self-directed learning resources that will help all staff working in endoscopy units to make better use of existing resources and deliver a more efficient and effective service to patients seven days a week.

Colorectal Cancer

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have (a) been invited to take part in and (b) taken part in (i) the bowel scope screening programme and (ii) the faecal occult blood test programme to date.

Jane Ellison: As at the end of January 2015, 83,153 invitations have been issued and 28,674 Bowel Scope Screening procedures have been performed. Uptake stood at approximately 44% and ranged from 38% in the lowest site to 51% in the highest. 1,173 people had been referred to colonoscopy following a Bowel Scope Screening with 29 cancers detected and 541 high/immediate risk polyps and 413 low risk polyps removed.   The Bowel Scope Screening Programme is progressing well, having exceeded the Secretary of State’s commitment to have the programme rolled out to 30% of screening centres by the end of March 2014 and is on target to meet the 60% commitment by the end of March 2015. Around 28 centres now offer Bowel Scope Screening.   At the end of January 2015, nearly 25 million Faecal Occult Blood test kits had been sent out to men and women aged 60-74 to self-sample at home. Over 15 million kits have been returned by post to one of 5 regional labs (programme hubs). Since the Programmes began in 2006, over 21,000 cancers have been detected and over 122,000 patients have been managed for polyps, including polyp removal.

Epilepsy

Ms Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the support available to people with epilepsy.

Ms Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to improve (a) access to specialists and (b) investment in medical research for epilepsy.

Norman Lamb: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline The diagnosis and management of the epilepsies in adults and children in primary and secondary care, published in January 2012, sets out best practice for clinicians in the diagnosis, treatment and care and of people with epilepsy. In addition to drug based treatments, the guidance also recommends that a range of support should be in place for people with epilepsy, including a comprehensive care plan and access to psychological support.   The NICE guideline recommends that people having a first seizure should be seen as soon as possible by a specialist with training and expertise in epilepsy. Patients whose epilepsy cannot be satisfactorily controlled or whose condition cannot be appropriately diagnosed should be referred to the specialised neurological service, which is commissioned nationally by NHS England.   The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has increased investment into neurological disorders from £29.7 million in 2009/10 to £39.3 million in 2013/14. The NIHR welcomes research applications into any area of human health including epilepsy.

Women and Equalities

UN Conference on Women

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, when her Office plans to publish the results of its survey to mark the twentieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

Jo Swinson: The Government Equalities Office launched a women’s engagement roadshow and online survey to mark the twentieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. We are inviting women’s organisations across the UK to tell us what progress has been made towards gender equality and priorities for future action. Findings from both the series of events and online survey will be published shortly to mark the twentieth anniversary.

UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent progress she has made on implementing the recommendations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on the UK's record on women's rights and services.

Jo Swinson: The UK Government is firmly committed to delivering its obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The UK’s seventh periodic report to the committee was submitted in 2012.Following the UK’s CEDAW examination in July 2013 the committee made a number of observations and recommendations. The Government has been asked to respond to these in July 2017 in our 8th Periodic report. The Minister for Women and Equalities has written to her ministerial colleagues in relevant departments asking them to take forward the recommendations.The committee asked the Government to respond to two of their recommendations before 2017 – they have sought a response to their recommendations on abortion in Northern Ireland and on legal aid and access to justice in November 2014 and 2015 respectively. The first of these responses was submitted in November 2014. We are also currently working on extending CEDAW to the overseas territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, Gibraltar and the Cayman Islands.

UN Commission on the Status of Women

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what the Government’s objectives are for the fifty ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women; and if she will make a statement.

Jo Swinson: The Commission on the Status of Women is recognised worldwide as being the major international forum to progress women’s rights.The UK ‘s objectives for CSW59 are to:· Achieve a strong Political Declaration that publicly reaffirms commitment to the Beijing Platform for Action and calls for a strong and explicit commitment to achieve gender equality, the empowerment and the realisation of the human rights of women and girls in the post 2015 framework. Ensure the document does not include regressive language or roll back on progress;· Ensure that the CSW Working Method Resolution reaffirms CSW as the principal global policy-making body dedicated exclusively to gender equality, the empowerment and the human rights of women and girls and that it is fit for purpose post-2015;· In the run up to CSW build a positive negotiation climate with other member states, UN bodies and civil society;· Enhance the UK’s reputation as an international leader in advancing the rights of girls and women.  Through the UK Statement and other means we will seek to progress the UK’s key domestic and international priorities for women which include preventing sexual violence in conflict situations, challenging social norms such as female genital mutilation and child, early and forced marriage, women's economic empowerment, access to education, violence against women and girls and sexual and reproductive health and rights.